Repayment
by TearShield Alchemist
Summary: Disregarding DL-6, a teen Phoenix suddenly finds a very drunk Miles Edgeworth on his doorstep, pleading not to go home. Warnings: mild mentions of abuse, rape and boy love. Rated T with possible WAFF.
1. Repayment

A/n: Yay! I'm back! My friend lent me the Phoenix Wright game (I've only played the first) and I loved Edgey… and Phoenix… together… So I decided to "wright" this fic! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Just pretend that the DL-6 incident never occurred, so this involves Phoenix and Miles as teenagers! Warning: may contain boy love!

* * *

Repayment

_"It wouldn't be right for us to discuss things so intimately, Wright." - Miles Edgeworth_

_"*sigh* I was ready to hug it out with him, but he's just the same, prideful Edgeworth" - Phoenix Wright  
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* * *

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I'd never imagined Miles to be overly sensitive to many things. I'd grown up with him, helped him survive when his mother died. He liked to say he wouldn't have gone on if he didn't have me for a friend. I tell him he would've, but he always denies it, brushing me off, telling me I was too modest.

And then he would jokingly say I should become a clown…

Miles himself wanted to be a defense lawyer. His father was a famous one and Miles often watched the trials. Class debates or trials, Miles won all of them. Larry and I quickly learned to pick him on our team (not that Larry was any good). On the weekends I would spend time with "Edgey" at his place, fixing up debate cards or having Miles lecture me on the importance of remembering how to cross-examine witnesses. Those weekends were the best, until one afternoon…

Mr. Greg, as he had us call him, usually locked himself in his study readying himself for trials until I left the house. I bearly saw him at all, ever. Then on that afternoon he came downstairs in a nice suit, better than the ones he wore to trial, and was rushing around like a headless chicken. Miles was as stumped as I was as to the reason behind it. Then he answered the door and in stepped the reason. The only reason.

Her name was Lilith and Mr. Greg was going to go on a date with her.

Miles nearly choked on his tea when his father announced this. I didn't mind. She seemed nice enough and if it made Mr. Greg happy, it should be fine.

Later, upstairs, Miles was angry. He threw a tantrum which was not at all unusual for teenagers at one point or another, but this made me question how I saw Edgey. He wasn't usually the type to get angry or throw tantrums that lasted longer than I could sleep (which was fairly long) and he never usually talked about things that bothered him. Least of all was he angry at his father.

This was the summer of our thirteenth birthdays. Sure, Miles and I both thought Lilith would be here one day and gone the next. But she wasn't. The next summer, she was still there. Finally, the summer after that they got married. Edgey had just turned fifteen.

The wedding was a beautiful affair, and since Edgey had no one else to bring (he didn't date), he brought me, his best friend. Larry often cried to me that he wasn't invited. I explained the crying was the reason. And also the fact he had another girlfriend. Her name was Alice and she was nice. A model in training… I was starting to wonder why Larry got all the good ones.

Edgeworth never changed as much as he did in the year after the wedding that was for sure. He wore long sleeved shirts and jeans, even when it was boiling outside. He'd often complain of a headache and not show up for school. He'd blow off debates and trials (though thanks to him I was getting pretty good, but I missed him at our table). The last straw came when he began distancing Larry and I. No longer did I come over to his house to play PS3, or talk about cars or discuss career options. Every time I called, Lilith would answer the phone and say he wasn't home, that he was out with this girl or that girl. I worried about him night after night, wondering what on earth would happen to make him hate me so much.

I figured it out just in time. And that is what led him to end up here, in my house, in my bathroom, in my bath tub, asking me to "not let him go home."

* * *

It was nearly twelve thirty and both of my parents had "retired" (as they liked to say) to bed at about half past nine. It was a Saturday night and I was sure they were expecting me to go out. They'd heard the stories from Lilith of Edgeworth dating this girl and that girl and getting home late. They probably thought I was a failure, never going out with anyone. They went to bed with their normal, "if someone wants you to go out tonight, don't worry, just leave a note and call us in the morning if you aren't back!" Some days I wished people would ask me. Others, I just wished Miles would call me.

"Miley," I smiled, remembering the childhood nickname and laughing at its relation to the "Hannah Montana" star. Don't ask me how I know about Hannah Montana; blame the girl next door, Pearls. Lying back on the couch, I turned to the first music channel I found. "Ugh, is Hannah Montana everywhere!?" I snapped, quickly flicking the television off and going to stare out the living room window. In the distance I saw a figure walking with a slight lean that was proceeding towards my driveway. I blinked once. I blinked again. The figure still came closer, though it looked like it was going to fall over. I knew it was probably just some drunken guy who wanted cash for a cab, but I still looked anyway.

I turned as the figure came closer to my door, but before I could leave to answer it came a knock and small, strangled voice saying "Nick!" as loud as it could, which wasn't very loud at all. Then came the scratching of a key in the lock. I couldn't believe it. Who else knew my name, where I lived and had my key…?

I could only think of one person.

Rushing to the door, I flung it open to reveal Miles Edgeworth, looking tired, sick, drunk and unhappy. I was about to say something when in he fell.

I caught him in kind of a hug, still in a daze by the fact he was here, in my house, in my arms. Okay, maybe not that last bit. "Nick," he mumbled into my shoulder. I exhaled. It wasn't that seeing Miles had made me winded or catch my breath… I just didn't know how long I'd been holding it for.

"Nick, I'm sorry." Okay, that took the carpet out from under my feet.

"Miles, why are you sorry. You don't have to be! You're here, aren't you? That is apology enough. Here, can you walk?" Miles chuckled drunkenly into my shoulder.

"You always were the only one I could trust to forgive me."

"What do you mean?" I was definitely confused. Miles looked up at me and smiled a worn out smile.

"I'll tell you, but first, is there any chance you have a cold bath?"And that is when I knew he was definitely drunk.

* * *

I helped Edgey into the bath, slowly, noting all of the black and blue dots that lined his usually pale skin. He blushed once he realised what I was doing, but you could barely tell under the flush of his cheeks from the alcohol.

"Still can't hold your alcohol?" I tried to lighten the mood. Miles simply mumbled a reply. I remember at the wedding, he managed to get drunk off of one glass of spirits. I had him laughing all night until we ended up back and his place and he curled up in a ball on his bed.

"I'll take that as a yes." I said. Miles had his eyes closed. I knew he could probably fall asleep like that, but I wasn't going to let him get out of explaining that easily.

I filled a small jug with cold water and flung it over his head. He sat upright with a start.

"Wright!" he said, glaring at me. I smiled my trademark cheesy smile.

"Edgeworth," I giggled back, poking him in the rib. It wasn't until he flinched ever so slightly that I realised what I had poked. The splotch under my finger had turned a nice shade of black.

"Edgeworth…" I whispered, tracing the outlines of the bruises as carefully as I could. "What happened to you?" Miles grabbed his elbow and looked away. He turned back to me and smiled like he was thirteen again.

"What else happens when you put a gang member in jail?" he said. I frowned.

"Miles, please, tell me, what is wrong? Why is this… why are you… Miles!" I could feel myself going to cry. Miles simply slumped in the bath.

"I'll tell you once you get me out of this bath, but please, promise me, after this, you won't make me go home."

I rubbed at my eyes while promising not to do the last thing that I would've done.

* * *

Thank God I was still roughly the same height as Edgey. I lent him a pair of my pyjamas and placed him on my bed. He looked so small and fragile after I had seen the bruises. He was tall, I'd give him that, but he had no muscle on him or any meat at all really. He curled up his usual ball and I sat next to him on the bed.

"Miles, are you able to tell me now?" He nodded into the pillow. It took him a few minutes to come out of his hunch and turn to face me. He looked deadly serious now. I gasped.

"Lilith."

It was all he said. In that one word, I felt anger and rage like I never had before. Lilith… hurt Miles? She beat him and made him give up his friends? She pressured him into dating girls? She…

"Miles! Why didn't you tell your father?" I questioned, shocked. But then I realised. Miles wouldn't tell his dad because Lilith made him happy and he wouldn't do anything that would get his Dad in trouble.

"I'm sure you worked it out." Edgeworth stopped talking for a while. I could hear his laboured breaths which made it sound like it was really hard to breathe. Like his heart was heavy. I wanted to release his burden.

"It all started after the wedding. At night Lily would come into my room and hit me, telling me how stupid I was. How I'd made my father miserable. That I should just die. She called me a fag, saying that I never dated girls and all my spare time I was with you… She said maybe she should hurt you and then I might date girls. I had to Phoenix. I had to do whatever she said. She said she'd hurt you and I couldn't let that happen, I wouldn't. She made up stories that I was dating girls and around the same time she said she'd cure me of my "gayness". That's when she started making my life miserable. She keeps me home from school the day after her beatings and then again after we had sex. It hurt and I didn't want to tell anyone. I didn't want anyone to think I was weak. I didn't want to hurt you…"

It was all said in a rushed breath that ended with sobs. I was in shock. Lilith had driven Miles to drink, to push me away… I looked at Miles. He was shaking like a baby and was in the foetal position, crying. I felt and urge rush over me and I gave in to it. I hugged him as tightly as I could against my chest, letting him cry all over my shirt, clinging to it and repeatedly saying that he was sorry. I patted his hair and his back.

After what seemed like hours he stopped.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Miles. Anything that lady did, she should be sorry for it. Not you. It wasn't your fault; you don't have to punish yourself!" Miles' pale eyes looked up at me, glistening. I smiled at him. Then I glanced at the clock. 3.00 AM read the lights on the display. The door was still open and Edgey didn't look like he was going home any time soon (not that I would let him).

Unhinging him from my shirt, I got up to cross to the door, when I felt a weight on my back. Edgeworth wrapped his arms around my waist placing his head between my shoulder blades. I gasped in shock.

"Thank you," was all he said and he slumped back to the bed. I continued my quest for the door and closed it before jumping back into the bed.

This set up reminded me of our sleepovers we had when we were about 9. Except it usually wasn't this late, Miles wasn't crying and he certainly wasn't this close. His head lay on top of my chest and he appeared to listening to my heart beat. I smiled, playing again with his hair. I didn't know he was still awake.

* * *

"Wright," Edgeworth said sternly. I stopped playing with his hair.

"What is it Miles?" I said, shocked. He turned his face up to me and stared me in the eyes, like he was judging my reaction. He suddenly got up, leaving me cold because his body was very warm as it was lying on top of mine. Then suddenly I felt a weight on the bed, his legs were to the left of mine yet his arms were on either side f my head. I barely had time to notice his face before it came crashing down on mine.

Edgeworth was kissing me…

And I liked it.

I reached up my arms and wound them around his back moving them up to his head, fighting back with as much force as I had. Edgeworth, clearly surprised by this outburst, fought back harder. I felt his body collapse on mine. Our breathing was jagged in the same rhythm and I finally understood:

Edgeworth pushed me away because he loved me. And tonight had given me the chance to repay him for his suffering.

* * *

A/n: Please tell me if you want another chapter or something… I have planned this to be a one-shot, but you can review and say you want more. Phoenix Wright has officially ended my 1.5 year hiatus… Hooray! Please review! TSA


	2. Meanings

A/n: Well, I guess I am back, writing another chapter to this story. I really enjoyed writing the first chapter, but now here comes chapter two!

* * *

_**Meaning**_

Miles woke before I did the next morning. The first I saw of him, he was perched on the end of my bed, looking in pain and guilty. That look acted as my own personal coffee buzz and I practically launched myself over to him.

"Miles, what's wrong?" I looked at his eyes; they were red, as though he'd been crying. He shrugged off my arms as I tried to hug him.

"I'm sorry Wright," he said stiffly. I stared at him. Back on last name terms? I wasn't having that!

"Why are you sorry? There is nothing to apologize for!" I argued. Miles looked at me and laughed his condescending laugh.

"Well, for one thing, I rock up at your house at some time past midnight, demanding a bath, then I kiss you and now I have the hangover of all times. You tell me how I am supposed to feel if it's not guilty."

I blinked at his never straying eyes. Forgetting the fact he kept trying to shrug me off I didn't stop until my arms encircled him. Him whimpered and shivered from the sudden contact he really didn't seem to want.

"I'm not letting you get away again Miles," I whispered in his ear. The trembling continued. We stayed like that for what seemed like a few hours, seeing as it was now Sunday morning, not that it wasn't Sunday morning when Miles arrived, but at least the sun was up. This allowed me some time to think while I just held my best friend close.

I wasn't going to report Miles as a teenage runaway and he certainly wasn't going to report his injuries. He didn't want to make thing harder for his dad and I understood that. I just didn't want him leaving again.

"Nick," he mumbled into my shirt. My back stiffened and then I realized what I was going to do.

"Yeah Miles," I said casually. Miles shifted his weight so he was now sitting on my lap.

"How am I going to get home?" I winced at these words.

"You aren't."

"What?"

"Last night you asked me to not let you go home. So I'm not. You are staying here, and that's final!" I was sure he could sense the anger in my voice as I held him possessively to my chest. Honestly, I didn't want to let go. I could feel Miles wince at the tone of my voice.

"Then what am I going to do?" Miles turned to look at me. I thought quickly under pressure, and those eyes were as much pressure as I was willing to take.

"I know. You get dressed… uh, I lend you some of my stuff, then you go home and pack anything you want and bring it here. You can stay with me!" I smiled at that thought. Miles frowned.

"What about your parents? Won't they notice when I am practically living in their house?"

"Hmmm…"

My parents knew how I worked. "Defend the weak," and all that jazz. Maybe I could tell them his girlfriend of over a year just dumped him for his cousin or something. They'd be sympathetic, surely. If that didn't work I'll tell them that he needs temporary living arrangements, they'd still agree. Seeing as it was Miles, they couldn't not agree. They thought of him as the second son they never had (who was always better than me).

"You take care of yourself; I'll sort out my parents. Deal?" I didn't like having to take my hand away from his waist to try and shake his hand. His eyes narrowed but he took it anyway. I smiled my classic goofy grin and suddenly the glare was gone. He simply flopped back into my chest and stayed there for I don't know how long until,

"Nick, how the hell are we gonna end up at school?"

I was tempted to laugh, but I just couldn't.

Could we really pull this off?

* * *

About twelve was when my mum came into wake me, and seeing as it was nine, she wouldn't expect me to be awake. I gingerly got up off the bed and walked to the dresser and pulled out a crumpled shirt and some jeans. This was my favourite shirt, not that I was going to tell him that, and when I wore it, it showed off my great chest (if I do say so myself) because of how tight it was. When I finally got it on "Edgey", he looked like a ghost. I gasped and he quickly wrapped his arms around himself, as if they could shield my view of his sickeningly lithe body. I averted my eyes and took a deep breath allowing both of us time to regain composure. Then I lead him over to the window where we both looked down and stared at each other.

"Miles," I said, unsure. He shook his head. I couldn't believe he was going to do this.

Knowing I couldn't change his mind, I grabbed his face in both of my hands and made him look at me. "Be sure you come back, alright?" He winced at the pain in my voice.

"Of course," he said softly, smiling as much as my hands could allow him. I wanted to be sure.

Forgetting everything else I simply pulled my face closer to his until our lips touched for the briefest of seconds. I opened my eyes and he knew what I meant. The kiss sealed the deal.

Finally allowing him actual room to get out the window, I swiftly guided him on the best way to get down the lattice on the wall. I didn't breathe until he was safely on the floor, grinning up at me. I grinned back and waved him off before the neighbours, or even my parents, noticed him.

Turning back into my room, I knew it would be a long three hours without Miles. I sat on my bed and held my knees, knowing that they could not substitute Miles in the slightest. Then, for some ungodly reason, I cried. I lay on my bed pulled the sheets over my head and I cried.

I cried for his injuries.

I cried for his family.

I cried for him.

I cried for me.

I couldn't work out the meaning of any of this. Miles suddenly coming to my door and then wanting to stay. It all seemed utterly meaningless, but I really didn't care. He was back and I had him here with me (but not that moment). Once I realized it was 11 AM on the display of my alarm clock, I shifted out of my uncomfortable position and walked to the dresser for the second time that day. I sifted through clothing knowing that I was going to see Miles in an hour. Wait, the way I did it I must've seemed like a girl on her first date. I sighed to myself with that realization hit. I merely pulled on a pair of jeans that held tight around my waist and my white singlet top. I didn't have to be flashy on a Sunday, surely?

* * *

Waltzing downstairs, my mother was astounded. She looked me up and down and I smiled at her.

"Morning," I said happily. The Miles buzz definitely wasn't going to wear off. She smiled back at me and raised her eyebrow.

"Nick, honey, why are you up this _early_?" I laughed when she said early. It wasn't early for most people. Suddenly a wide grin, remarkably like that belonging to the Cheshire cat, spread across her face.

"Oh Nick, you have a date!" And then she flung herself towards me. I frowned and shook my head.

"No?" My mother's smiled turned upside down in an instant. We stood awkwardly for a few seconds and then the phone rang. I knew it was Miles, but she answered anyway.

"Miles? Oh hey! Nick is right here and… oh. Me? Hmmm… Yes. Uh-huh. Oh sure! Nick will be happy. Come on over as soon as you want, sweetie. Okay, bye."

I stared at her curiously even though I knew what she was going to say.

"Miles needs some temporary living arrangements and he wants to stay here! Nick, isn't that great?" I nodded, sheepishly. "I'm going to have to clean up around here." I laughed. Mother always did like cleaning.

"Where is he going to stay?" I mentioned, sounding even more casual than I intended it to be. I couldn't wipe the stupid grin off my face and the Miles buzz was working overtime.

"Well, I guess he could stay in your room. I mean, it won't be awkward because you're both boys and you're friends."

I sighed. She always did like the idea of having another son.

Miles arrived barely minutes before 12 and you should have seen the grin I was packing. He all but leaped into my arms (bags included) and greeted my mother adequately. When he let go and grinned even bigger, surprised to find him doing the same.

"You can stay in Nick's room if it pleases you," my mother smiled reaching for Miles' arm. Instinctively he pulled away from her grasp.

"I'm sorry. I kind of ran in to something on my way here. That would be perfect, thank you."

Mother wasn't sulking for very long after his perfectly thought out apology. Only Miles could pull off a move that suave and not get the other person angry.

I guided him to the stairs and by the time we hit the landing, we'd both given up the pretense. Miles had his cases barely in grasp as he hugged my middle. I laughed at him, ruffling his perfectly styled hair.

"So, you had time for a shower, eh?"

"Yes," Miles blushed. "Lily and father were out somewhere. I left them a vague note explaining where I'm not."

The way he said it made me laugh harder. "Idiot," I smirked, dragging his arm (on a place where there were no bruises of any kind) into my room.

Miles snickered, evilly. My room wasn't as large or as graceful as his but he seemed to prefer it that way. A double bed in the middle of the room, with posters and my computer all on my desk. My cupboard and drawers held clothing that was either in there, in a washing basket or organized on the floor. Or, as mother would say, _dis-_organized on the floor. This was not true, however, because I knew exactly where everything was. Except when I was looking for it.

Miles maneuvered his way around the piles of books and clothes more gracefully than he had done the night before in his drunken state and placed his bags down beside my bed, taking care with a long, thin, suitcase and propping it on the bed.

"What's in there?" I asked dumbly. Miles shook his head.

"Music is, and always will be, my first love; my first true passion." I smiled. Of course he'd bring his flute.

Miles had been playing almost as long as I'd known him. It was well known folklore that his father played piano with the best of them. But that was just some rumour passed around.

"Well… what do we do now?" I asked, placing my hand on the back of my neck and stumbling across the room to where Miles Edgeworth sat, legs crossed, on the end of bed. Needless to say I was having de ja vu all over again. It was then I noticed his clothes.

"You had a shower?" I mumbled, blushing. I didn't usually notice how… _good_… my best friend looked in jeans and a button up shirt. Miles simply faced away from me.

"Yeah."

"Oh."

I couldn't carry on this awkwardness. I practically launched myself from where I stood until I could kneel by the side of the bed, face to face with "Edgey" and watch his eyes. They seemed hungry. Mine probably looked the same.

"Nick," he mumbled before he closed the space between us, capturing my lips before I had a chance to respond. That was how it started.

* * *

It ended when Miles sat up, his shirt lying disregarded on the floor and his pants partially undone.

"We can't do this!" he practically screamed. I knew he felt good; I knew I felt good. But we both knew we shouldn't be playing this game now.

"Okay," I easily bent to his wishes, quickly doing up my belt and smiling at him.

Things had gotten out of hand but it wasn't that he felt guilty. It was more that neither of us were ready for what was going on.

"Does this mean… that we're…?" Miles couldn't bring himself to say the word. Even the longer, more politically correct word, for that matter. I shrugged.

"We'll keep this to ourselves. Our little secret. No one has to know, right?" I winked.

And that was the day of our impromptu agreement.

It was then I knew that this had meaning.

* * *

A/n: Well, I decided to write more chapters for this. I hope you all enjoy. There may be lemon, but not until much later in the story… Please review!


	3. Situation

A/n: I can't keep my fingers away from this story, can I?

* * *

_**Situation**_

Monday was school. As per usual I didn't care much for it, but it was definitely going to be hard with me and Miles rocking up together.

I woke at 5.30 AM, Miles in my bed. It seemed we had come to an agreement; he wouldn't use the visitor's camper bed, but instead would sleep with me.

I groaned, rolling onto my side, noticing a weight that held me more or less in place making it hard to move.

Miles had his arms around my waist, pressing me against him.

I guess now I didn't want to move.

Leaning closer I could smell both the lavender scent of my shampoo in his hair and a salty smell; Miles' own. Just that thought made me moan.

Miles stirred and I kissed his forehead. I knew I wasn't going to sleep any longer.

"Nick," he mumbled into my chest sleepily. "What are you doing awake?"

"Can't sleep. Too awake," I stated, nonchalantly. Miles snuggled closer to my chest. Then he bolted away from me, his eyes wide with realization.

"S-s-s-s-school?"

I almost laughed at how cute his reaction was. I nodded briefly, thankful for the constraint gone and I got up off the bed. Miles just sat on the edge, pondering our situation.

"Act casual," I said. "Just act like we always did. Like best friends."

Miles merely disregarded my words. I knew something was on his mind.

I walked over to him and he looked me in the eyes.

"Nick…"he tailed off. I couldn't stand it.

I kissed him.

He pulled away.

It was almost like a dance.

"This is what I mean!" Miles glared, sounding angry. I looked at him in confusion.

"How are we supposed to act like normal if this… if this is how we… are?" I wasn't sure if he was angrier at me or at himself. I chuckled.

"Okay, until you are fine with what's going on, I won't kiss you."

In argument, Miles simply kissed me. I guess he couldn't have that.

It was funny; this kiss was more forceful, dare I say, more passionate than the others. Miles was hungry and I was sure we would go further than we had the day before.

It was I, though I hated it, who broke away.

"Do you really want to do this _now_?" I emphasized. Miles nodded, like this was what he needed, not wanted. I couldn't argue with that. He'd already started rocking his hips into mine.

* * *

I was right. We did get further. But not much.

My best friend had allowed me to see him at his weakest; allowed me to hear his guttural moan as I kissed him softly.

Soon after, he called stop. He knew he held the reins until he was totally sure.

"Not… now…" he gasped, panting for his breath. I knew I had a spell over him, but he still had firm limits, even under my hands.

"Let's not push it," I smiled, lovingly almost. Miles just smiled back. It was now 6 AM on my favourite clocks bright display. I swear, that clock witnessed everything these days.

Miles lay on the bed, trying to calm himself down to barely any avail. This only made me feel worse.

How long was I going to be able to stop having these random sexual urges or at least be able to calm them down? Well maybe they weren't so random. Every time, it was Miles' fault.

I excused myself to the bathroom for a few minutes to calm myself. Not in the way that normal people did. I managed to calm myself down after only three minutes of… deep breathing exercises?

I guess I had limits too. It still embarrassed me to say I was in severe _lust_ after Miles Edgeworth's body.

By the time I had returned, Miles had already dressed for our horrendous day at school.

I noted how loosely his shirt hung from his pale skin (thank god his bruises were now lighter; I thought I'd be sick if they were still the same colour).

"Miles…" I still gasped at his figure. He was still a ghost of who he was. Closing my mouth, I moved the cupboard and began undressing. I feel Miles heated stare, if not blush, radiating from his spot on the bed once again.

I chose to wear simple clothing yet again, pulling on my Levi's and some band tee quickly. I didn't want to make "Edgey" uncomfortable.

"Shall we go and get breakfast?" I suggested after quickly dressing. Miles looked at his feet.

"I… I haven't eaten breakfast in a long time…"

Of course. After sleeping until it was too late, he'd either not have time to eat or he'd want to get out of that house as fast as possible. Less time to see _dear_ Lily.

Bile rose in my throat.

"Miles… come with me." I took his hand, unsure what I would be showing him, but still I lead him out of the door.

Dad had left for work a few hours earlier and Mother wouldn't be up til 9 AM, so we had the kitchen to ourselves. I placed two pieces of toast in the toaster and went to sit with Miles at the kitchen table.

Miles simply stared at the wood, as though his eyes would burn a hole through it.

"Stop glaring at the table. Try as you might, you will, most likely, not burn a hole through it. And, if by some miracle you do, my mother will hurt you. She loves the table."

Great way to raise the mood, Wright. I could hear Miles' chastising words in my head. I could imagine his sarcasm and his stupid smirk as he said it. Was I going insane?

Miles only actually answer was to lift his gaze from the jarrah to my face. The glare didn't falter.

"Not that face again Miles…" I groaned. That face was torture. Almost like he was in pain too.

He shut his eyes and shook his head lightly. "Thanks… Nick…"

I never thought his voice could be that soft, and sweet, despite the fact seconds earlier he had been glaring holes into my mother's table and then into my forehead. I covered my face, but it was too late. He'd opened his eyes in time to see my untimely blush.

* * *

We ate in silence. Slowly; each bite of toast, each sip of tea or coffee, every sound of fidgeting… all of it echoed in the empty, silent room.

It was Miles who broke the silence.

"Shall we go to school…? Nick?"

I looked up at him surprise. He was being awkward. I smiled.

"Sure, let's go!"

We arrived at ten past eight, with Larry already there, sitting at his desk, making moves on whatever girl walked his way. He stopped flirting suddenly, mid way through a sentence.

"Nick? Edgey?"

I knew he couldn't believe we'd walked in together, acting as though nothing had ever happened.

Larry came to hug me but Miles pulled away so he wouldn't get caught in the repercussions.

"You two are friends again?" Larry eyes filled with tears. I smiled and nodded. Miles simply looked away and grabbed his elbow, embarrassed. I nudged him. He winced.

Whoops, wrong place to nudge.

Thank God we didn't have to talk much and Larry then started his long rambling about his weekend, allowing us to "ooh" and "aah" in certain places.

I only had four classes with Miles. Homeroom, sports, music and language. I mentally kicked myself when I realised today was one of those days I used to enjoy. Today it would just make it harder.

My timetable read like this:

Homeroom

Music

Maths

Break

Gym (Double)

Break

Language (German)

Homeroom

I was in deep shit, considering out of all of those things I had today, I would only be away from Miles for one class…

* * *

It was after recess that things started happening. Gym was a favourite class of mine, always had been. Today we had a choice between volleyball and hockey.

I choose volleyball and so did Larry and Miles.

The game started evenly but Larry and I pulled a fast one, so soon Miles team, the opposition, were down by three.

That's when I saw the competition in his eyes.

I was already shirtless, not afraid to bear my chest to all, even though the girls' class was somewhere different entirely. But then I saw Miles begin shrugging off his shirt.

My mind went into overdrive. He couldn't show everyone his bruises! It sickened me to watch him pull his shirt off, but then I realised the same thing I noticed this morning. The bruises were getting lighter, so much so that it was hard to see them. No one would pay attention to them anyway, seeing as Edgeworth had been such a prat these past few weeks that he could've been in any number of fights.

I wasn't one to complain either since I got to see his ghostly, but still muscular, chest.

Miles team was serving, that much I knew, but I had no idea it was Miles turn either.

He spiked the ball in my direction with a wink and as much as I wanted to return the serve, I was shocked. I became still with a blush creeping up my neck. My arms failed me as I stood there dumbstruck and Larry began yelling. But nothing seemed to matter more than the fact Miles Edgeworth, a _shirtless_ Miles Edgeworth, had set me up for a fall.  


* * *

I avoided him at lunch, but had no choice but to sit next to him in German, seeing as I rocked up late and he'd saved the seat for me.

He knew we had lessons in the audio lab so, as Herr Gavin began spouting his lesson, he passed me a note with "ACHTUNG" written clearly across the front.

I opened the note quickly, making it seem I was taking notes, whilst doing so.

It read:

**Sorry about gym, Nick. But I couldn't let you be the only one able to show some skin.**

**If you can show everyone, I can too,** _ja_?

_Mein Gott_… **how much homework do we have when we get home?**

**Hope it doesn't take up all our time…**

**(smiley face) Miles**

I smiled at that note and folded it into _mein_ pocket.

At least he wasn't clingy…

Even though it was only the beginning of our delicate situation.

_____________________________

A/n: I just wrote a school scene… I am sulking now. If only we had guys as nice as Phoenix… This is the ramblings of a girl with a new found obsession for Hazelnut Spread... Well, please review! PS: Sorry Jo, I had to change it… I'm not that brave, yet.


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